Scottish Economy (White Paper)

No. The task of modernising the Scottish economy is a continuing
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one, and although much of what this Government set out to do has already been accomplished, the broad objectives set out in the White Paper still stand.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to what extent the latest figures showing the number of persons in employment in Scotland diverge from the forecasts and targets in his White Paper on the Scottish Economy.

The latest complete employment figures available are for June, 1968, and analysis of them has shown that the creation of new employment has come up to expectation but that there has been a much faster rundown of employment in the older industries. Despite this, however, unemployment in Scotland is relatively at a lower level in relation to the Great Britain figure compared with 1964 and emigration is being dramatically reduced.

I have nothing to add to the replies which I gave to the hon. Member for North Angus and Mearns (Mr. Buchanan-Smith) on 19th November last year and to other hon. Members on previous occasions.—[Vol. 791, c. 307.]